Thanks Dave,

I figured since the SWC has supplied me with so many good reading from the military side of COIN I'd contribute something from my neck of the woods (civilian / political science).

If you want to know more about the CPA in 2003 check out Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran. The title is misleading, the book is really a history of the CPA in 2003 and discusses Timothy M. Carney's work in more depth.

About Petraeus, what are your impressions of him? FM 3-24 is on my reading list but I haven't had the time to dig through it yet.